Separable interlocking fastener



Dec. 29, 19.36. H. E.1 slPE SEPARABL INTERLOCKING FASTENER Filed Sept.' 1, 1935 muy INVENTOR. Harry E Sii/Ue Patentedv D ec. 29, P1936 I SEPARABLE INTERLOCKING FASTENER Harry E. Sipe, New York, N. Y., assig'nor to Hookless Fastener Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 1:1933, Serial No. 687,796

9 Claims.v (Cl. 24-205) My invention relates Vto separable interlocking fasteners and particularly to fasteners of the type described in my prior Patent No. 1,719,856.

The objects 'of the present invention are to provide an improved form of fastener which will be of this type in an article to be fastened.

Other objects and advantagesof the inventiony will appear during the following specification.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown a preferred embodiment and-several modifications which my invention may assume in practice. In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a fastener embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a detailed view with parts broken away so as to show more clearly the construction;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 isalongitudnal central section;

Figs. 5 Vand 6 are cross-sections illustrating modifications;

Fig. 7 is a plan view and Fig. 8 is a detailed perspective view and Fig. 9 is a cross-section on line 9-9 of Fig. 'l showing astll further modification; and

Fig. 10 showsla variation in the shape of the interlocking parts.

The completed fastener as it appears in Fig. l, comprises a pair of mounting strips or tapes I0 which are integrally joined at the lower end Il; and a pair of strips I2 of rubber or other suitable flexible material, secured to the adjacent edges of the mounting tapes. A slider I3 is mounted to slidealong the flexible strips I2 and may be conveniently actuated by a pull tab I4. Preferably there are two vsuch strips I2 on opposite sides of the fabric mounting strips, but a single interlocking member strip may be sufficient.

The interlocking members are formed integral with the strips I2 and comprise gear tooth-like projections I5 with correspondingly shaped recesses I6 between them. Such recesses and projections are formed by cutting through a single strip of rubber of suicient width to form the interlocking member strips andthrough the at- .tached mounting strips III. The cut does not extend to the lower end of the fastener so that there is no need for special connecting means at this end. The slider as illustrated in the cross-sections, comprises a pair offlanged wings I1, I8

connected by a wedge portion which serves toA spread the interlocking strips when the slider is moved toward the lower end of the fastener as shown in Fig. 1 and the side anges serve to pull the strips togetherwhen the slider is moved in the opposite direction. Since the heads of the projections I5 are wider than the base portions, the heads will interlock with one another when the strips are engaged in parallel relation, and separation can be effected only by a progressiveaction from the upper end.

The shape of the projections and recesses serves to Aprevent the fastener from separating on a lateral pull. However, when the fastener is flexed or when there is a tendency for one side to be strained transversely relativeto the other, it is necessary to provide additional means for counteracting this tendency. In Figs. 1 to 5 transverse separation is prevented by fabric cover strips 30 which are secured to the interlocking member strips preferably on both sides, although if they are secured only on one side it may be suilicient in some'instances. These strips overlap the recesses and thus when the fastener is interlocked they will overlap theprojections on the opposing series. The cover strips can be made of such width that they will come neatly together and present a smooth appearance.

The interlocking member strips I2 are preferably secured to the mounting 4tapes I0 by cementing, vulcanizing or otherwise sticking them in place. They may, however, be secured by rows of stitching I9 as illustrated in Fig. 3. One advantage of the construction shown in Fig.l 5 is that one side of the fastener is perfectly smooth and the fiat wing 20 on the lower side of the slider needs no flanges. 0

In the modication shown in Fig. 6, the interlocking member strips comprise merely several plies of fabric 2|, which are secured together in any suitable way, such as cementing, gluing or sewing. These fabric strips are s omewhat more rigid and will permit the slider to ride more easily over the strips. Instead of plies of fabric, any suitable material such as leather may be used. It will be understood that thev operation of the fastener will be the same as in Fig. 1, since the interlocking projection can be formed by cutting through the several plies of fabric or other ma-j terial.

In Figs. '7, 8 and 9, the upper and lower strips 22, 23 respectively, have projections and recesses of similar shape but they are staggered relative to one another. Inthis manner, separation of the parts is prevented and in all other respects the construction of the fastener is the same. In the process of manufacture, it will be 'necessary to cut 50 posed on one side of said tapes and along the one of the strips before assembling on the mounting strip III. In Fig. 10 the construction is the same except for the shape of the interlocking projections and recesses 24, respectively. In this instance, however, they are flexed so as4 to present an abrupt shoulder making it more secure against transverse strain. v While I have in this application shown and described one embodiment and several modifications which my invention may assume in practice, this embodiment is merely for the purposes of illustration and description and it will be understood that other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A separable interlocking fastener of the class ldescribed comprising a pair of interlocking member strips of exible material, said strips having projections integral therewith along their adjacent edges and recesses between the projections of the same size and shape as said projections, the projections on one strip being adapted to fit into the recesses on the opposite strip and interlock therewith to prevent lateral separation, and wherein means are included for preventing ltransverse separation of said projections and recesses.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the means for preventing transverse separation comprises cover-strips secured to each interlocking member strip and extending over said projections so as to engage over the projections on the opposite series.

3. The combination dened in claim 1 wherein the means for preventing transverse separation comprises fabric tapes secured to the outer surfaces of said interlocking member strips and extending over the recesses so that said cover strips come together when the fastener is closed and engage over the projections.

4.,'Ihe combination defined inv claim l; wherein the means for preventing transverse separation comprises strips of elastic fabric secured to the outer surfaces ofthe interlocking member strips and extending over a portion of the recesses so as'to overlap the projections engaged said recesses. n

5. A separable interlocking fastener of the class described comprising a pair of fabric tapes, relatively thicker strips of flexible material disstaggered whereby the projections one strip' will interlock v between the projections of the other strip, said fabric tape extending into overlapping relation with said projections.

46. A separable interlocking fastener of the class described comprising a pair offabrlc tapes. means providing shouldered edges on each of said tapes comprising flexible strips disposed on opposite sides of said tape and along its meeting edge, said strips having projecting heads integral therewith adapted to intermesh and interlock with the projecting heads on the strips of the opposite tape, said tapes being symmetrically disposed with respect to said shouldered edges.

'7. A` separable interlocking fastener of the class described comprising a pair of fabric tapes disposed edge to edge, means providingv a shoul-A der adjacent to'each of the meeting edges of said tapes consisting of a plurality of fabric plies overlapping each other and overlapping theedge of the tape and attached firmly together, said overlapping plies having a slit therethrough of such form as to provide integral projecting heads, the heads on one side of the slit being staggered relative to the heads on the other side.

tegral therewith with recesses between the heads.

the. heads on'one strip being adapted to intermesh and interlock with the heads on the opposite strip, the twostrlps on. opposite sides of each tape having their heads out of transverse alignmentwhereby transverse separation is prevented when the fastener is interlocked.

9. A separable interlocking fastener comprising an elongated piece of fabric having a slit through the longitudinal middle section terminating short of the end of saidpiece of fabric -to divide thesame into a pair of mounting strips, the edges of said mounting strips along said slit having lll'irjectlonsl and of gear tooth-like outline and in staggered t` on the opposite strips so as to iit into each other, and interlocking heads of vrelatively thicker material than the mounting strips' and having the same configuration as said gear tooth-,like projections of the fabric strip over said projections and attached thereto whereby l the heads will interengage when said fabric strips are brought together.

HARRY E. SJPB. 

